Archive for February, 2008

Inspite of the oxymoronic title, Nature Babycare is an environmentally savvy disposable diaper. It boasts the convenience of a disposable without all of the gross plastic and its many associated ills. Nature Babycare was developed by a Swedish mom, who sought to create a diaper with a low environmental impact, but with the ease of a disposable diaper. The end product is a simple, yet ingenious solution.

While I was pregnant, one of my most daunting challenges was what I would do about mindfully managing my baby’s basic bodily functions: the elimination of waste. The thought of leaving a 500 year poop legacy was reviling. I was consumed with trying to find thoughtful diapering solutions. Like many expecting moms I was thrilled at the promise of the gDiaper. Finally, a disposable diaper with a conscience that would allow me and my baby to leave a lighter eco-footprint. If you are not already familiar with the gDiaper, it is a relatively new diapering solution that boasts multiple environmental features: no chlorine, no dyes or inks, no perfumes, no latex, no plastic. Unlike conventional plastic diapers, the gDiaper is composed of a cellulose pad and takes merely 50-150 days to biodegrade. In contrast, plastic nappies take up to 500 years to decompose and some release toxins into the environment as they breakdown.

It has been documented that being in love is akin to being on cocaine.Both the emotion of love and cocaine bathe our brains in similar neurotransmitters which make us feel elated and giddy.One can hardly deny that love is a prolific muse, spawning innumerable songs, poems, stories, works of art, and even criminal behavior. Love can be a delicious torment. Read the rest of this entry »

As the basis of many disease states is increasingly thought to be genetic, the idea that in utero injuries can give rise to adult-onset illnesses is not implausible. Bisphenol A(BPA), a chemical used in copious magnitude to create polycarbonate plastics, has been linked to metabolic syndrome, reproductive disorders, and reproductive organ cancers in animal models. Plastics, are composed of monomers(single units) linked together to form a long chain(polymer). Although the polymerization process links the monomers together tightly. There has been shown to be some breakdown of that bond with resultant leakage of the chemical constituents into the surrounding environment. In fact, BPA has been shown to be present in 95% of human urine samples.

Plastic is a ubiquitous substance of modern life. Our lives are riddled with plastic products. From water bottles, to food containers, to toys and cell phones, the list is all-pervasive. What is this material? Plastics are made via a process called polymerization. Polymerization involves linking multiple single units (monomers) into a long chain (polymer) using extremely high temperatures and pressure. Although the polymerization process is supposed to tightly bind the constituent molecules together and make them inert and non-toxic, the process is not flawless and different chemical constituents do leak out of the plastic material into surrounding substances. One such molecule under intense scrutiny is Bisphenol A (BPA). Bisphenol A is a monomer used to manufacture polycarbonate plastics. The chemical bonds linking Bisphenol A together are subject to breakdown; thus leaking BPA into the surrounding environment. Bisphenol A is found in plastic baby bottles and may be harmful to young infants who have immature digestive tracts, reproductive tracts, nervous systems, and organs. Read the rest of this entry »